Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-07-30

sides, we had made up our minds to Journey
onward at any price. Under these circum-
stances, however, we did not consider it safe
to sleep ashore, so we got into our canoes,
and padding out into the middle of the
stream, which was not very wide here, man
aged to anchor them by means of big stones
fastened to ropes made of cocoanut fiber, of
which there were several fathoms in each
canoe.
Here the mosquitoes nearly ate US up alive,
and this. combined with anxiety as to our
position, effectually prevented me from sleep
ing as the others were doing, and somehow,
in the most unaccountable way, had sud-
denly become nervous There was no par
ticular reason why / should be, beyond the
ordinary reasons which surround the Central
African traveller, and yet undoubtedly was.
If there is one thing more than another OF
which / have the most complete and entire
scorn and disbelief, it is of presentiments,
and yet here was all of sudden filed with
and possessed by most undoubted PRESENT.
ment of approaching evil. would not give
way to it, however, although felt the cola
perspiration stand out upon my forehead.
In the distance heard a hippopotamus
splash family, then the owl hooted again in Q
kind of unnatural screaming note, and the
wind began to moan plaintively through the
trees, making a heart chilling music. Above
was the black bosom of the cloud, and
beneath me swept the black flood Of the
water, and felt as though and death were
utterly alone between them. 1t was very
desola.e.
Suddenly my blood seemed to freeze in my
l. \
fancy, or were we movingi l turned my
eyes to look for the other canoe, which should
be alongside of u.s. l could not see it, but in
stead saw a lean and clutching black hand
lifting itself above the gunwale of the little
boat. Surely it was nightmare! At the
same time dim but deviish looking face APP
peared to rise out OF the water, and then
came lurch of the canoe, quick flash of a
knife and an awful yell from the Wakwafi
who was sleeping by my side tthe same.poor
fellow whose odor had been annoying mel,
and something warm spurted into my face
In an instant the spell was broken; knew
that it was no nightmare, but that we were
attacked by swimming Nasal. Snatching at
the first weapon which came to hand, which
happened to be Umslopogaas' battleax, /
struck with all my force in the direction in
which had seen the flash of the knife. The
blow fell upon mans arm, and, catching it
against the thick wooden gunwale of the
canoe, completely severed it from the body
just above the wrist. As for its owner, he ut
tered no sound or cry. Like ghost he came
and like ghost he went, leaving behind him
a bloody hand still gripping great knife, or
rather short sword, that was buried in the
heart of our poor servant
Instantly there arose q hubbub and confu.
sion, and fancied, rightly or wrongly, that
made out several dark heads gliding away
toward the right hand bank, whittier we
were rapidly drifting, for the rope by which
we had been moored had been severed with
knife. As soon as had realized this fact, /
also realized that the scheme had been te cut
the boat loose, so that it should drift on to
the.Hght bank las it would have done with
the -.atural swing of the current), where no
doubt a party of Nasal were waiting to dig
their shovel headed spears into u.s. Selling
one paddle myself, l told Umslopogaas to take
another for the remaining Askari was too
frightened and bewildered to be of any use),
and together we rowed vigorously out toward
the middle of the stream; and not an instant
too soon, for in another minnie we should
have been aground, and then there would
have been an end OF us.
As soon as we were well out, we set to work
to paddle the canoe up stream again to where
the other was moored; and very hard and
dangerous work it was in the dark, and with
nothing but the notes of Goods stentorian
shouts, which he kept firing off at intervals
like fog horn, to guide us. But at last we
fetched up, and were thankful to find that
they had not been molested at all. No doubt
the owner of the same hand that severed our
rope should have severed theirs also, but was
led away from his purpose by an irresistible
inclination to murder when he got the chance,
which, while it cost us man and him his
hand, undoubtedly saved all the rest of us
from massacre. Had it not been for that
CHASTITY appaiition over the side of the boat
an apparition that shall never forget till my
dying hour-the canoe would undoubtedly
have drifted ashore before | realized what
had happened and this history would never
have been written by me.